Division-piece or partition for a controller arc-deflector, circuit-breaker, and the like.



, AND THE LIKE.

DIVISION PIECE 0R PAR Patented ()0 2 SHEETSSHEET I.

lwzwmmsz W. R. MCRAE 64R. RUSSELL. DIVISION PIECE OR PARTITION FOR ACONTROLLER ARC DEFLECTOR, CIRCUIT BREAKER, M55 HKE: APPLICATION FILEDMAY 7. 1915. RENEWED sPT.22. :917.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER ROBERTSON MoRAE AND RICHARD RUSSELL, OF TORONTO, ONTARIO, CANADA.

DIVISION-PIECE OR PARTITION FOR A CONTROLLER ARC-DEFLEOTOR, CIRCUIT-BREAKER, AND THE LIKE.

Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 23, 1917.

Application filed May 7, 1915, Serial No. 26,667, Renewed September 22,1917. Serial No. 192,832.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, WALTER ROBERTSON MGRAEand RICHARD RUSSELL, both of the city of Toronto, in the county of Yorkand Province of Ontario, Dominion of Canada, have invented a certain newand useful Improvement in a Division-Piece or Partition for a ControllerArc-Deflector, Circuit- Breaker, and the like; and we hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

This invention, relating to division pieces for use in connection withcontroller are deflectors, circuit breakers, and other electricalapparatus, in which such division pieces are subject to burning orerosion particularly resulting from the are caused by the opening orbreaking of the circuit, will hereinafter be described in connectionwith a controller for an electric motor for the purpose of explainingits use and advantages.

A controller for an electric motor, in which the circuit for the currentis open and closed by a series of contact segments moved into and out ofengagement with a series of contact fingers, is arranged in sectionswith the contact segments and fingers of each section separated bydivision pieces or partitions from those of the adjacent sec tions toprevent the arc from spreading, these-division pieces or partitionsbeing connected to a framework of fire-proof insulation mounted on thepole-piece of the magnet blow-out coil, which establishes a magneticflux through them to draw the are away from the contact segments andfingers during thebreaking of the circuit.

The continual drawing of the are from the contact segments and fingersresults in a burning away or erosion occurring at that part of eachdivision piece or parti tion opposed to the arc, which, in the course oftime, has to be removed and replaced by another.

As these division pieces or partitions are comparatively expensive, onaccount of the relatively large number used in each con troller and thecharge for labor incident to their removal and replacement, owing totheir fixed attachment to the gate or framework,the cost of repairsannually amounts to a considerable sum, regardless of the inconvenienceresulting from the controller being out of use during the repair periodor periods.

One of the objects of the invention, therefore, is to so construct thedivision pieces or partitions that a considerable percent-age of thecost of these repairs and the time during which the controller or otherelectrical apparatus is out of use can be eliminated, and this isattained by making each division piece or partition in two parts,onewhich is not subject to comparatively rapid erosion being relativelyfixed, for instance, in the controller, and the otherwhich is subject tocomparatively rapid erosionbeing separably secured to the one, so thatthe burnt-out part can be removed and replaced without disturbing theoriginal installation, a further object of the invention being to soconstruct these parts that the separable one can be quickly and easilyre moved and replaced, and the fixed one will securely hold it in itsset position until it is manually removed, the separable part being solocated that it will be exposed to the full burning or erosive action ofthe are, as hereinafter set forth and particularly pointed out in theclaims.

In the drawings:- V

Figure 1, is a perspective view of a controller, with part of the casingremoved, and the controller arc deflector opened;

Fig. 2, is a perspective view of the are defiector showing the divisionpieces or partitions for isolating each section of the controller fromthe adjacent sections;

Fig. 3, is a detail view of one of these division pieces or partitionswith its parts assembled;

Fig. 4:, is a perspective view of one of the division pieces with itsparts separated; and,

Fig. 5, is a detail view of a modification of the construction shown inFig. 3.

Like characters of reference refer to like parts throughout thespecification and drawings.

The controller arc deflector a, comprising a framework (4' ofinsulation, mounted on the hinged pole-piece a of the controllerblow-out magnet Z2, is provided with a series of division pieces orpartitions c for isolating the contact fingers cl and contact segments 6of each section of the controller from those of the adjacent sections,the contact fingers being attached to the controller contact board 7,and the contact segments 0 being carried by the controller cylinder 9which turns in bearings mounted on the controller frame it and carriesat the top and bottom insulation disks 2' of large diameter to preventthe leakage of current to the frame.

Above the top insulation disk is a star wheel and check pawl formomentarily checking the rotation of the controller cylinder as eachstep of the switching connection is accomplished during the operation ofthe controller handle Z. lVhen the controller arc deflector is in itsclosed position, the division pieces or partitions c isolate the contactsegments and fingers of each section of the controller from those of theadjacent sections for the purpose of preventing the spreading of the arefrom one section to either of the adjacent sections when the contact isbroken.

A strong magnetic flux is maintained by the blow-out magnet Z) throughthe are deflector a for the purpose of extinguishing the arcs formedwhen the contacts between the segments and fingers are broken, thesearcs being drawn to the division pieces or partitions, with the resultthat these division pieces or partitions will, in the course of time,.ie completely burned through at places in line with the arcs.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the division pieces or partitions a arescrewed to the framework a, and heretofore, when one of them was burnedout, it was necessary to remove all the screws securing it to theframework and then replace them, the removal and replacement of thescrews not only taking time, but also resulting in the wearing away ofthe framework, and in addition to this it has been necessary to replaceeach burned-out or worn-away division piece or partition by a new onewhich, together with the charge for the labor in the removal andreplacement, has added materially to the expense in connection with theupkeep of the controller.

In Figs. 3, 4 and 5, we have shown the division piece or partition 0 asconsisting of a member 0 to be permanently fastened to the framework aof the arc deflector a and a separable member 0 to be removably held bythe fixed member 0 the division piece, or at least the separable membera, being preferably of dielectric strength, permitting of the magneticflux from the blow-out magnet coil and having high resistivity to theflow of the direct current and to the are.

shown in Fig. 4, the fixed member 0 is formed with two stationary jawsm, m partly inclosing an alcove m", the separable member 0 being ofcorresponding shape and dimensions to the alcove, so that when containedtherein, it will complete the construction of the division piece orpartition.

As shown in Fig. 4, the alcove m" is formed with atongue 0, and theseparable member 0 is formed with a groove 0, which receives the tonguewhen the fixed, flindseparable members are assembled, the tongue andgroove formation preventing the lateral movement of the separablemember, and the stationary aws m, m preventing its transverse andlengthwise movements.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 4, the inner end p and the outer end 2) of thealcove are rounded or curved and the curvature of these ends ispreferably described from the same center, but with different radii, sothat the separable member during its removal and replacement, must turnin a curved path, as indicated by arrow in Fig. 3.

By this construction, the jaw m forms an abutment to prevent movement ofthe se arable member transversely of the division piece or partitionwhen contained within the alcove, the jaw m preventing the movement ofthe separable member lengthwise of the division piece or partition.

In Fig. 5, the relatively fixed member is shown to be provided with astop which can be moved into position to enga e the separable memberwhen contained in the alcove, and prevent its turning movement until thestop has been displaced from its engaging position.

In the general construction of the division piece or partition, theseparable memher is located in line with the are, so that when burnedout or eaten away, it can be quickly removed and replaced withoutdisturbing the original installation of the relatively fixed member.

It is possible to make various modifications, within the scope of theappended claims, of the division piece and the means whereby its fixedand separable members are secured in their assembled position, and it ispossible to use it not only in connection with controller arcdeflectors, but also in connection with circuit breakers and otherelectrical apparatus, where the parts are subject to burning or erosiveaction.

Having thus fully described the nature of our invention, what we claim.as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:-

1'. An insulation division piece or partition comprising a relativelyfixed partformed with two stationary jaws partly inclosing an alcove, aseparable part contained in said alcove and removably held therein bysaid jaws, and means for preventing the inadvertent removal of theseparable part from the relatively fixed part.

2. An insulation division piece or partition comprising a relativelyfixed part having an alcove therein, two ja s partly inclosing the,alcove, and a separable part contained in said alcove and removably heldtherein, one of said parts being formed with a tongue and the other witha groove to receive said tongue, and means for preventing theinadvertent removal of the separable part from. the relatively fixedvpart.

3. An insulation division piece or partition comprising a relativelyfixed part having an alcove therein and two jaws partly inclosing thealcove, and a separable part contained in said alcove and removably heldtherein, one of said parts being formed with a tongue and the other witha groove to receive said tongue, said tongue and groove preventing thelateral movement and the jaws preventing the lengthwise movement of theseparable part.

4;. An insulation division piece or partition comprising a relativelyfixed part having an alcove therein, two jaws partly inclosing thealcove, and a separable part con tained in said alcove and removablyheld therein by said jaws, the inner and outer ends of the alcove beingcurved, the curvature of these ends being described from the same centerbut with different radii, so that the separable member during itsremoval and replacement must turn in a curved path, and means forpreventing the inadvertent removal of the separable part from therelatively fixed part.

5. An insulation division piece or partition comprising a relativelyfixed part having an alcove therein,two jaws partly inclosing thealcove, and a separable part contained in said alcove and removably heldtherein by said jaws, the inner and outer ends of the alcove beingcurved, the curvature of these ends being described from the same centerbut with difierent radii, so that the separable member during itsremoval and replacement must turn in a curved path, and one of said jawsforming an abutment to prevent movement of the separable membertransversely of the division piece when contained in the alcove, theother jaw preventing the movement of the separable member lengthwise ofthe division piece, and means for preventing the inadvertent removal ofthe separable part from the relatively fixed part.

6. An insulation division piece or partition comprising a relativelyfixed part having an alcove therein and two jaws partly inclosing thealcove, a separable part contained in said alcove and removably held 50therein by said jaws, and a stop which can be moved into position toengage the separable member when contained in its alcove.

Toronto, April 21st, 1915. I

WALTER ROBERTSON MORAE. RICHARD RUSSELL.

Signed in the presence of Crms. H. Rronns, EDWARD H. BERNSTEIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Yatents, Washington, D. 0.

